The Gambia at the Olympics

The Gambia has sent athletes to every Summer Olympic Games held since 1984, but the country has never won an Olympic medal. The Gambia National Olympic Committee was formed in 1972 and recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1976. The country missed the first two games it could have joined, in 1976 and 1980.

The Gambia's first team in the Olympics had ten runners. Later teams have included wrestlers, a long jumper, a boxer, a judoka, and a swimmer. In most years, the Gambia was represented only by runners. The Gambia has never competed at the Winter Olympic Games.

National Olympic Committee

The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) was formed in 1972 and later recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1976. It is located in Olympic House in Bakau. In 2014, there were some problems when police stopped GNOC employees from entering the building, and the government placed travel bans on some officials. This caused the Gambia to miss the 2014 African Youth Games in Botswana. After some concerns from the IOC, the building was reopened, but the government still controlled who could enter. The issues were eventually solved without any serious consequences.

History

The Gambia first joined the Summer Olympics in 1984 at the games in Los Angeles. Before that, the country boycotted the 1976 and 1980 Olympics. In 1984, ten athletes from the Gambia competed in running events. The best performance came from Amie N'Dow, who reached the quarter-finals in the women's 200 metres.

In later years, the Gambia continued to send athletes to the Summer Olympics. In 1988, they sent six athletes, including three wrestlers. In 1992, all five athletes were male runners. The 2000s saw smaller teams, with just two athletes in 2000 and 2004. In 2008, the Gambia sent three athletes, including its first Olympic boxer, Badou Jack. The 2012 Olympics featured two track and field athletes, and in 2016, the Gambia sent its largest team since 1996, including athletes in judo and swimming for the first time.

Medal table

See also: All-time Olympic Games medal count